Sinner and Alcaraz hit the ball faster than the Big Three

Pedro de Pablos | 13 Feb 2026 | 20.44

"Sinner and Alcaraz hit the ball faster than the Big Three"

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Comparisons between Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and the Big Three continue. After Patrick Mouratoglou's words placing Alcaraz and Sinner above them, now Casper Ruud has acknowledged that the Spanish and Italian tennis players bring something different and hit the ball harder than any of the other three.

Norwegian player speaks from experience, having faced all of them and winning only 2 out of the 19 matches played. According to Ruud, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic mainly imposed their dominance through their presence, but in an interview with tennis MAGAZIN, he recognized how complete Sinner and Alcaraz are. He did not claim they are better but discussed the evolution of the sport and its physical demands.

"The Big Three had an almost intimidating presence due to their history. Carlos and Jannik bring something different: incredible intensity, speed, and courage. The game has evolved, and one must be ready for a very physical and fast style. You can debate about different eras, but for me, Sinner and Alcaraz hit the ball faster than the Big Three," stated the former ATP world number two.

Ruud discusses what he has learned from facing Alcaraz, Sinner, and the Big Three

Out of these five legends, Ruud has only managed to beat Novak Djokovic once and Alcaraz once, losing 17 times, some in Grand Slam finals. However, these experiences have helped him become a better player. "The differences at this level are incredibly small. I've learned that patience, faith, and acceptance are required at the same time. These final defeats hurt, but they also showed me that this is where I belong, which is crucial for my confidence in the future."

Later, Casper delved into why Carlos and Jannik play faster, drawing a comparison with Nadal, who has a completely different style. "Rafa always hit hard with his forehand but had more spin with his backhand, and now we have Carlos and Jannik... neither side is a weakness. They excel whether it's the backhand or forehand, and they are also strong movers. They move wonderfully."

Ruud talks about what the rest of the circuit must do to catch up with Sinner and Alcaraz

He also highlighted a similarity between Sinner and Djokovic, as it has become trendy to compare them. "One aspect that has taken him to the next level is his movement. You see him sliding, defending from anywhere on the court. The same goes for Carlos, and I think they defend in the same way as Novak. You feel like you have them on the defense, and with a single shot, they're back on the offensive. It has been truly impressive and at times a bit annoying how good they've become, but we need to accept it and do better to beat them," he concluded.

Currently, Ruud is striving to return to the top 10, taking a break after becoming a father. Like the rest of the circuit, he knows that to compete in major tournaments, he must adapt his game and evolve alongside these two beasts, who currently appear to be a few steps ahead of their rivals, except for Djokovic, who has already shown at the Australian Open that he can still challenge them.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, "Sinner y Alcaraz golpean a la bola con más velocidad que el Big Three"

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